Past Devotions

December 26 – 31 I WILL BE OFF LINE

There is one last Christmas carol to sing together this week.

“O come all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant.

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.

Come and behold Him, Born the King of angels.

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.”

O Come. Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. [Matthew 11:28-30]

Joyful and triumphant. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. [John 15:9-11]

“Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, Born this happy morning;

Jesus, to Thee be glory giv’n.

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing.

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.”

Come to the Manger with me. Come to the Child. Come, heart prepared to give Him room. Come with adoration. Come to Christ the LORD.

May this Christmas Season be the best and brightest. That is my wish for you. I know that not everything in your lives will be perfect. I understand that during this time of year, you may have many sorrows. But I urge you to come to the manger with me. Come to the Child.

Come joyful and triumphant, knowing that no matter the sorrows we may have at this moment, the Lord has come and His joy is in us and our joy is complete.

“Joy to the World, the Lord has come:

Let earth receive her King.

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And heav’n and nature sing,

And heav’n and nature sing,

And heav’n and heav’n and nature sing.”

Joy to the World! He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. [John 1:10]

The Lord has come!   He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. [John 1:11]

Let earth receive her King! “From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [Matthew 27:45-47]

Let every heart prepare Him room! And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split . . .. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!’” [Matthew 27:50-54]

Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room. “To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision of a husband’s will, but born of God.” [John 1:12-13]

Joy to the World, the Lord has come.   “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” [John 1:14]

Joy to the World!

“Hark the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King!

Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.’

Joyful all ye nations rise. Join the triumph of the skies.

With the angelic host proclaim, ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’

Hark, the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn king!’”

The night was dark. The flocks were bedded down for the night. The shepherds gathered around the small fire and talked softly. They were tired from the long, hard work of the day, yet they remained vigilant at night. It was in the dark of the night that predators prowled. They were always on duty, ever watchful, ever alert for even the softest sound of danger.

Suddenly, the sky was on fire with a brilliant light and an unearthly being appeared before them. Light shown all around them. They were used to danger, but this strange sight frightened them. Then a voice boomed across the sky bringing comfort. “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manager.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel and began praising God. “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” [Luke2:8-20]

The most glorious announcement of all time first came not to kings or the prominent but to shepherds alone in the night keeping watch over their flocks. And this king, born that night in Bethlehem and attested to by heavenly hosts would one day announce, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.” And in the giving of that life, God and sinners would be reconciled.

There would be no more war between men and God, no longer a great gulf created by sin and death. This shepherd would usher in an everlasting Peace for those who come to God in faith.

“Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled . . . Hark, the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn king!’”

“Away in a manger, no crib for a bed.

The little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head.

The stars in the sky looked down where He lay,

The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

A Christmas lullaby. A song for children to sing. I remember the Christmas pageants in which my children participated. It seemed they always sang this little Christmas lullaby. We sat in the audience and beamed, or smiled, or cried. I can still hear their sweet little voices singing Away in a Manger; the Christmas lullaby.

Jesus, lying in a manger. Jesus, who in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [John 1:1]

Jesus, no crib for a bed. Jesus, He was with God in the beginning. [John 1:2]

Jesus the babe, laid down His sweet head. Jesus, through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. [John 1:3]

Jesus, asleep on the hay. Jesus, in him was life, and that life was the light of men. [John 1:4]

A Christmas lullaby. A song for children to sing. Within its short verse is the reflection of one of the most awesome truths of time and eternity. Jesus, who as God the Word created all things, who sustains all things, who upholds all things, who owns all the rights and prerogatives of God Almighty, came to redeem men by becoming like unto them.

He laid it all down. He made himself nothing. He took the very nature of a servant. He was made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. [Philippians 2:6-8]

A Christmas lullaby. A song for children to sing. The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

December 21 – O Little Town

I would like to spend these last few days leading to Christmas singing the Christmas Carols.

“O little town of Bethlehem,

How still we see thee lie;

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep,

The silent stars go by.

Yet in thy dark streets shineth

The everlasting Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years

Are met in thee tonight.”

Little Bethlehem. Rachel was buried there. Ruth met Boaz there. David was anointed there. And Micah prophesied that “though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times . . .. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace.” [Micah 5;1-5]

Little Bethlehem. The hopes and fears of all the years were brought together one night in little Bethlehem. The words of the prophet were fulfilled when a young woman gave birth to a son, a son whose origins are from old, from ancient times. She would call Him Jesus, and He would become the apex of time and eternity.

Little Bethlehem. To this little town would come the King of all the ages, the Everlasting One who would sit on David’s throne to rule the nations, the Son of God, Son of Man. All that had come before looked forward to this King; all that would come after would look back to Him.

“Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”

You may have heard this story before. I apologize for its length, but it is one of my favorite Christmas tales. Recently I was had opportunity to tell an expanded version of this story at the 5^th Annual Middleton Christmas Concert. The Story of the Imperfect Little Innkeeper.

A group of nuns ran a small elementary school in the mid-west. One year the nuns decided to put on a Christmas pageant. They went through the school and chose some classes to be choirs and sing carols, others to read Scripture and little stories.

The nuns looked at all the classes and they decided that the second-grade class would be the perfect one to present the Nativity Story. So, they gathered the class around and look at all the children. The nuns spotted one little boy who they thought would be the perfect Joseph. Then they saw a beautiful little girl that they decided would be the perfect Mary.

Off to the side were three little boys who would make perfect wisemen. They would have them bring gifts and tell Mary and Joseph what each gift meant. In the front row was a bright little girl with a shining smile – she would be the star to lead the wisemen to the nativity.

Another group of sturdy little boys were chosen to be shepherds, the nuns would give each one something to say to Mary about what the angels had said about the baby Jesus. The rest of the little giggly girls would be the angels who would sing songs to the glory of God

Off in the corner however, there was one boy who really wasn’t perfect for anything. He was a little bigger than all the other children, and a bit clumsy. He bored easily and would get fidgety and easily distracted. He often had trouble remembering the simplest of things.

He wanted to be in the play, but the nuns weren’t sure what to do with him. One of the nuns had a bright idea – let’s make him the innkeeper. He’ll be right at the beginning of the play, so he won’t get bored or fidgety or distracted. We’ll give him something very simple to do and say. When Joseph knocks on the door, we’ll have him open the door, say “NO ROOM!” and close the door.

For weeks the nuns worked with the imperfect little innkeeper. When Joseph knocked, he would open the door, say “NO ROOM!” and close the door. Over and over they practiced, “Knock, knock, open door, ‘NO ROOM!” close door.”

Finally, the night of the performance came. All the children were so excited. The nuns led the imperfect little innkeeper behind the door on the side of the stage and quietly reminded him what to do when he heard the Knock, Knock.

The curtain rose. Out walked perfect little Joseph and perfect little Mary. They came to the Inn’s Door. “Knock, Knock” The nuns held their breath. The imperfect little innkeeper opened the door, scowled at perfect Joseph and perfect Mary, and in a loud voice announced, “NO ROOM!” Then he shut the door. The nuns breathed again and gave silent high fives to each other backstage.

Perfect Joseph and perfect Mary turned to walk toward the stable and manger set center stage when suddenly the door of the inn flew open with a bang. The imperfect little innkeeper raced out, tears streaming down his face, “Wait, wait” he wailed. He grabbed the hands of perfect Joseph and perfect Mary and pulled them back toward the Inn, “Come in,” he cried, “You can have MY room!”

One day we will each stand before our Creator to give an account of our lives. I don’t think He’ll care what the sign says on the door of the place where we worship. I doubt He’ll have us recite the Doctrinal Statement for our Denomination.

I think he’ll have one question for each of us. When my son Christ Jesus came to you knocking, what was your response. Did you say, “NO ROOM!” Or did you, like the imperfect little innkeeper open the door, say, “Come in, you can have My room?” Those really are our only two choices, and how we choose will determine our eternity.

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” [Isa 7:14]

Immanuel, God with us. That’s the old, old story. God came to us so that we could one day go to Him. He wanted His children around Him, but we had rebelled, shaken our fists at Him and declared we didn’t want Him to rule over us. We became His enemies. We didn’t want His laws or His moral obligations. We wanted to do things our way without interference from His Holiness or His Righteousness.

But God was relentless. He pursued us until one day the time was exactly right. One exact moment in time, God entered the world through a humble, obedient servant who found grace, favor with Him. “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” [Gal 4:4-5 NKJV]

Immanuel, God with us. I am always undone by the thought that the God of the universe wants me. For God doesn’t just love people, He loves persons, individuals, you, me, our neighbors, family, friends, and yes even our enemies. He loves us with a sacrificial love that spans the millenniums from eternity past to eternity future. It is a love that is as boundless, as glorious, as He is.

And on that day so long ago – in the fullness of time – God proved that love and glory and grace when He sent His Son to redeem lost mankind. Immanuel, God with us.

When we think about the birth of Christ Jesus our LORD, we don’t usually think about Joseph. In a way, he’s just there, rounding out the “Holy Family.” We set his statue out in our nativity sets, but he’s not the center of attention. That honor rests with the Christ Child and His mom. Even the shepherds that came that night and the wise men who showed up later get more attention than poor Joseph.

Joseph is just the background. He leads the donkey from Nazareth where he was a simple carpenter, to Bethlehem. He finds a bit of privacy for his expectant betrothed. He probably helps deliver her baby, although I’m sure he was fairy clumsy in his efforts. And then he retreats once again into the background.

Yet, God chose this man to be the protector, the guardian for His Son’s early years on earth. He chose Him to teach Him a trade, to raise Him in the admonition of the LORD, to teach Him the Word of God.

The Scriptures describe him as a righteous man. We know he was kind and compassionate. Before God informed him by an angel in a dream that Mary was pregnant not because of infidelity but because of the miraculous working of God’s Holy Spirit, he was going to put her away “quietly” rather than expose her to ridicule or scorn. [Matthew 1:18-22]

We know Joseph was obedient. He did what the LORD commanded him to do. When it became necessary to leave Jerusalem after the visit from the wise men and Herod’s avowed attempt to kill the newborn king, Joseph gathered his wife and child and fled in the middle of the night to Egypt and stayed there until God told him it was safe to return. [Matthew 2]

Read the account of Joseph in Matthew. Matthew must have thought him important for he concentrates on this man in the background more than any other aspect of the birth of our Savior. There were so many ways in which this all could have turned out differently, if Joseph had not been a man of compassion, obedience and quiet strength.

You’ve traveled far. It’s not like you really wanted to, after all you’re very pregnant. You have to, however, the government says you do … the top guy (Caesar) has decided he wants a census of the entire Roman world, and that includes you and your betrothed husband Joseph. So heavily pregnant, you travel from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea because you and Joseph are from the lineage of King David.

When you arrive, the town is bustling with all the others who were doing what the government commanded. There’s no room anywhere to rest. Finally, Joseph secures a bit of privacy in a place that houses the animals. The time for your baby to be born arrives. No family. No friends. No mid-wives. One nervous husband. You give birth.

You’ve brought wrapping cloths for your newborn. Exhausted you put him to sleep in a feeding troth while you rest a bit. Joseph keeps watch.

Suddenly a bunch of rough men show up with a story almost beyond belief. Angels appeared to them and told them that they would find a baby in a manger that was the Savior, Christ the LORD.

Such a story would be almost beyond belief, but not for you. You remember the angel Gabriel and his sudden appearing and the words he spoke to you. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” [Luke 1:35]

One amazing night to be remembered forever. “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” [Luke 2:19]

Luke 2:8-20 tells the story of the shepherds on the night the Christ Child was born. It’s starts simply, “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby.”

Shepherds were not a highly respected lot (although King David had elevated their stature some). Necessary, of course, someone had to watch all those sheep that would one day end up as sacrifices. Life wasn’t easy for them, outside in the elements, sleeping beside their flocks, ever vigilant for predators. But it was to this lot of rough, tough men that God first gave the news of the birth of His Son … “a Savior has been born to you.”

God also, through the angelic announcement gave them directions to find this Savior … in a manger, in a stable, wrapped in binding cloths. Look for Him among the animals.

The shepherds followed the angel’s instructions and left their animals to go find this Savior born in a place where other animals were housed. Ever wonder if the announcement had been given to kings or priests or men of honor if they would have gone? Would they have lowered themselves to tramping around in the middle of the night searching through stables to find a baby amid the animals?

That didn’t bother the shepherds one bit. They went. And what did they find? A worried carpenter. An exhausted new mother. And a baby, wrapped in cloths, in a manger, in a stable, among the animals. And somehow, they knew, they knew, that what the angels had proclaimed was true … this was “Christ the LORD.”

“The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”